1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to baby walkers and more particularly to a mechanism for locking swivel seat of baby walker in one of predetermined positions for facilitating the feeding by parent or the playing of infant.
2. Related Art
It is well known that baby walker is an exerciser for training an infant to walk. It is also understood that infant seated on baby walker may arbitrarily move to front, rear, left, or right. That is, the movement of baby walker is random and unpredictable. This may increase danger of the seated infant. A conventional baby walker comprises a seat for supporting the weight of infant, a circular frame (integrally formed with a tray), a stationary base, a plurality of legs intercoupled the base and the frame and support the seat, and a plurality of (e.g., four or six) wheels rotatably mounted under the base. Conventionally, wheels are caster wheels. Further, there is no locking mechanism provided in the baby walker. This is not safe in view of above. Hence, it is often recommended by manufacturers that parent or guardian should take great attention to the infant seated on baby walker. In fact, it is not unusual that accident may happen despite the attention being taken.
Of course, there is some baby walkers aimed at eliminating above drawback. And an improved baby walker to enable an infant seated on the walker to turn freely is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/583,995 entitled xe2x80x9cBaby Walkerxe2x80x9d wherein an annular flange is provided on tray with a rotatable disk member mounted thereon. The rotatable disk member comprises an outer wall, a top surface, and an inner wall. An annular groove is formed on the rotatable disk member. The bottom of outer wall is in contact with the top of the tray. A plurality of flexible tabs is provided on the bottom of the inner wall of the rotatable disk member for snapping into a plurality of corresponding slots on the inner wall of the tray and secured thereto. A plurality of holes are provided on the top surface of the rotatable disk member for receiving a plurality of corresponding pegs of seat. This forms a swivel seat. This can prevent an infant from feeling monotonous after several times of using the baby walker. However, infant may easily rotate the seat to turn its back on a parent of guardian who prepares to feed the infant. This really bothers the parent or guardian.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for locking a swivel seat of baby walker in one of predetermined positions for facilitating the feeding by parent/guardian or the playing of infant.
The advantages of the present invention are realized by providing a baby walker comprising a stationary tray, a swivel mechanism, a seat, a circular base, a plurality of legs, a lock member, and a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted under the base. Tray is capable of supporting seat, seated infant, and the swivel mechanism. Legs are intercoupled the base and the tray for supporting the tray at a predetermined height above the ground. Swivel mechanism is rotatbly mounted on tray and comprises a plurality of dents wherein the lock member is capable of engaging with one of the dents for fastening the seat to the swivel mechanism.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.